Apparatus for delivering gases, including means for separating out entrained particles



Sept. 7, 1954 H. PERRIN APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING GASES, INCLUDING MEANSFOR SEPARATING OUT ENTRAINED PARTICLES Filed Oct. 10, 1951 mam/f ATTORNPatented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FORDELIVERING GASES, IN-

CLUDING MEANS FOR SEPARATING OUT 'ENTRAINED PARTICLES SwitzerlandApplication October 10, 1951, Serial No. 250,595

Claims priority, application Switzerland October 31, 1950 particles, inparticular to delivery apparatus includinga guiding device fitted to theinlet side for setting the incoming gas in rotation and a chamber forcollecting the particles thrown out by the consequent centrifugal force.

Apparatus according to the invention is characterized by an annularconduit between the guiding device and the collecting chamber conductingthe rotating gas in an axial direction, to whichannulus a deflectionchannel leading the gas centripetally toward the axis of the annulus isconnected in such a manner that the outer casing surface of the annularconduit together with the corresponding limiting surface of thedeflecting channel forms a relatively abrupt angle and at the transitionfrom theone surface to the other there is at least one aperture leadingto the collecting chamber.

Gases delivered by apparatus according to the invention are veryeffectively freed not only from the larger, but also from the smallestsolid or liquid particles after travelling only a relatively very shortdistance from the inlet thereof. The invention can be used with especialsuccess on the intakes of blowers or compressors, which should deliverdustless air.

The successful separation of particles from gas delivered by apparatusaccording to-the invention is caused by the superposing of severaleffects. Thus, first the gas is set in rotation by a guiding device,which, for example, can consist of an axial blading disposed at theentry into the annular conduit, so that the particles are centrifugedout against the casing surface limiting the annulus on the outside. Onaccount of the annular form of this conduit the twist imparted to thegas is effective in the vicinity of the outer casing surface thereof aswell as throughout its whole length. A translatory gas movement in thedirection of the axis of rotation is superposed on the rotation of thegas as it leaves the guiding device. To the extent that the annularconduit has a sufficient length, which must be determined for theparticular circumstances of each application by the designer, not onlythe heavier, but also the lighter particles will have been hurled to theoutside of that conduit by the time the gas stream reaches the endthereof and a helical axial movement of all particles close to the outercasing surface will have been set up. If, at the end of the annularconduit the gas stream is deflected towards the inside approximately atright angles by a connecting, deflecting channel,

the particles carried along maintain the direction of movement oncetaken and therefore will pass through an aperture or several aperturesprovided at the angle between the outer casing surface of the annularconduit and the corresponds ing limiting surface of the deflectingchannel into the collecting chamber.

In order to further increase the separating action, gas entering theannular conduit can be caused to move radially from the center to thecircumference by the guiding device, which is then advantageouslyprovided with a radial blading setting the gas in rotation, so that theparticles entrained in the gas are hurled against the outer annularsurface directly at entry to a greater extent than with an axial guidingdevice and therefore a shortening of the annular conduit is a possible.

Inorder to attain unobstructed axial movement of the rotating gas theinner surfacesof annular conduit should present a smoothly continuouscontour. Its casing surfaces should, therefore, be cylindrical or onlyslightly conical or bent. The transition from the outer casing surfaceof the annular conduit to the correspond ing limiting surface of thedeflecting channel on the other hand, can be about rectangular and thetwo surfaces can be separated by an annular aperture. Such an aperturewould lead to a collecting chamber, which would also be annular. Thejunction of the two surfaces could also be piercedby several discreteapertures, for example, which lead to corresponding single collectingchambers. The collecting chamber or chambers are closed to the outside,so that they are under the static pressure of the inflowing gas stream.In the case of a blower or compressor with gas turbine drive, thecollecting chamber can be connected-by a discharge pipe into the exhaustvent of the gas turbine for the purpose of sucking the dust particlesfrom the collecting chamber by ejector action.

Two examples of construction of the subject of the invention are shown,simplified, in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section, acentrifugal blower whose intake is provided with apparatus according tothe invention;

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through the development of a portion of theaxial blading of the guiding device of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinalcross-section, turbine-driven, centrifugal compressor whose intake isprovided with a modified form of apparatus according to the invention;and

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section through a part of the radial blading of theguiding device of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

According to Fig. 1, a centrifugal blower II has, on the suction side,an annular conduit l2, which is limited by the outer casing surface [3and the inner casing surface l4. On the inlet side of this annularconduit [2 is the guiding device [5 shown in development in Fig. 2 andconsisting of axial, stationary, curved blading l6 arranged in the entryto annulus 12. When the blower II is operating, the guiding device I5sets in rotation air entering at H, so that particles of dust entrainedin the air are hurled against the outer casing surface l3 by centrifugalforce. The particles of dust travel together with the air stream,simultaneously rotating and moving on axially under the influence of theguiding device l5, pressed always by centrifugal force against the outercasing surface [3. A deflection of the air flow to the center is broughtabout at the end of the annular conduit l2 by means of the connecting,deflecting channel formed by the limiting surfaces I8 and I9, so thatdust-free air enters the intake guides 2| of the blower ll, whereas theparticles of dust travel further in their previous axial direction alongthe outer casing surface [3 and therefore pass through the annularaperture 22 into the annular collecting chamber 23 and from there fallinto the removable collecting chamber 24.

In the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 3, a centrifugal blower 3| has,on the suction side, an annular conduit 32, which is limited by theouter casing surface 33 and the inner casing surface 34. To the inletend of this annular conduit 32 is connected a guiding device 35consisting of a radial annular chamber fitted with radial, stationary,curved blading 36, shown in section in Fig. 4. Air entering at 31, afterbeing set in rotation by the radial blades 36, is deflected by 90 at thetransition from the radial guiding device 35 into the axial annularconduit 32, so that the particles of dust are forthwith hurled here atthe entry to annulus 32 against its outer casing surface 33 to an extentmaterially increased over that occurring at the entry to the annulus l2from the axial guiding device l5 shown in Fig. 1. By

4 to the intake guides 4| of blower 3|. The dust, on the other hand,passes through the annular aperture 42 between surfaces 33 and 38,intoan annular collecting chamber 43.

Blower 3| is driven by exhaust gas turbine 45. A discharge pipe 46 leadsfrom chamber 43 into exhaust stack 41 of turbine 45. The flow of wastegases from turbine 45 passing the outlet end 48 of pipe 46 continuouslydraws off the dust accumulating in chamber 43.

The invention is not limited to use with the type machines selected forillustration, since dust separating apparatus according to the inventioncould just as well be connected in front of any other machine sucking inair or other gases, for example, a piston compressor or blower or itcould be used as an air filter on an internal combustion engine.Moreover, with apparatus according to the invention, solid or liquidparticles which are per se valuable can be separated from the air oranother gas stream with the minimum possible loss.

Having described my invention in detail in connection with two specificembodiments thereof, I wish it understood that I do not consider myinvention to be limited to the details of the embodiments disclosed, butrather by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In gas delivery apparatus, a gas pump, a gas turbine driving said pump,and gas cleaner means connected to the intake of said pump for removingnon-gaseous material from the gas drawn thereinto, said means comprisingan annular channel of substantial axial extent, guide means forimparting rotation about the axis of said channel to gas drawnthereinto, a centrally directed channel'connecting the outlet of saidannular channel to the intake of said pump, the outer bounding surfaceof said annular channel making an abrupt transition to the outerboundary surface of said centrally directed channel, an aperture at saidtransition, a collection chamber connected to said aperture beyond saidchannels, an ejector in the exhaust from said gas turbine, and a conduitconnecting said collection chamber to said ejector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,447,554 Jones Mar. 6, 1923 1,505,564 Jett Aug. 19, 19241,586,980 Du Pont June 1, 1926 1,745,950 Orem Feb. 4, 1930 2,039,127Sylvan Apr. 28, 1936 2,375,203 Appeldoorn May 8, 1945 2,512,401Whittaker June 20, 1950

